


One hell of a charm

by veyl



Series: Swirling shapes of salts and spells [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Mermaid!Hanzo, Sigils, Spells & Enchantments, borrowed hopes and borrowed hearts, witch!mccree
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 03:06:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13894923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veyl/pseuds/veyl
Summary: Still there is the small stone resting over his heart – or not his heart – the wet weight inside his chest.





	One hell of a charm

Jesse often lingers, like love-notes on paper walls, fearful of strong winds that might take him away. He is not a good man, or overly kind; he has not good upbringing or a place to call home. But what he does have is a heart from the muddy depths of a lake – that, he thinks, is one hell of a charm.

Halfway across the world from the once half-frozen lake, late afternoon spring sunrays whisper against the last of snow, igniting the pale viscera reminiscent of a long winter, brushing over the pearly heads of snowdrops, hungry over wood and feeding the earth. Jesse invites light and wind with an open window, taking a moment to breathe in puddles and mud before turning back to fire and dust.

Inside the small cottage the fire sings its delight, warming up the room. Hanzo is in the bathroom, happily enjoying a bath Jesse had prepared for him with a dusting of rose petals and orange peel, honeycake essential oil and a kiss on the cheek. Swirling shapes of salts and spells had painted the water blue and green, soft against Hanzo’s shivering scales.

Jesse moves to the couch where he’d dropped his latest project; a pillow filled with dry lakeweed and sakura flowers, to help comfort Hanzo during the dark nights, when his eyes look far away and his heart longs for home. It is during those nights that Jesse, too, in part grows unsure, grows fearful again between the whispered kisses and the gentle touch. He feels like he shouldn’t be here, shouldn’t take and take, wondering if he has anything to offer in return. But then Hanzo always smiles, just for him, and warmth spills inside his chest, chasing away the lingering doubts. Still there is the small stone resting over his heart – or not his heart – the wet weight inside his chest. _It is my heart,_ echoes somewhere in the back chambers of his mind; a curse, a promise, a memory. A witch-child does not receive such a gift for no reason.

He is putting final touches on the pillow, sewing in a sigil for sweet dreams, when Hanzo walks out of the bathroom. And what a beautiful, beautiful creature he is, wrapped in silk-woven robes, firelight playing on his face like sunlight on a freshwater spring. He gives a brilliant smile, full of secrets and sharp teeth; leans over Jesse, damp hair tickling his shoulder.

“Your heart always beats so quickly when I am near you,” Hanzo tells him. “How does mine feel, I wonder?” _Goodness,_ Jesse thinks, the insanity of it; goodness the dull ache in his chest. Such easy power this creature has over him, this brilliant beautiful nonsense man. Hanzo’s teeth nip at the side of his throat, his mouth opens to taste his skin. Goodness, how is he supposed to _think_ when Hanzo holds his whole world at his fingertips?

“It feels like it’s about to burst,” Jesse says, grip hard on the pillow and the needle. He wishes he could put them down so he can hold Hanzo instead, but Hanzo pulls his hair, pulls his head back to steal the breath from his lips. He kisses hungrily, to feed his heart. Jesse can only imagine the loud, drumming noise inside Hanzo’s head, of a heartbeat that is not his own.

“Guessin’ you enjoyed the bath,” Jesse says once Hanzo has released him, smiles up at him as Hanzo hums in thought.

“I did.”

There’s a little flicker inside his chest, where Hanzo’s heart beats.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, we’ll be near water soon.”

“I am not worried. And... I do not regret my choice,” Hanzo says gently, walks around the couch to join Jesse. “My heart beats for _you._ ”

Jesse just remembers to free his hands before Hanzo settles on top of him. The air inside his lungs is at once lakewater and moss; calming and so very light. He stares, unmoving beneath his gaze, eyes as fixed on Hanzo as his are on Jesse. It feels alright, like nothing in the world clashes or threatens; fingers caught on skin, his hands moving, over his shoulders, around his back, until finally they settle on his hips. Hanzo cradles his face in return, kisses Jesse again softly, softly. If there exists such a force that should shatter them here, surely it will.

Nothing of the like comes; no ill spellwork or vengeful water spirits or jealous witch-children. It is only the two of them, caught in one another, with borrowed hopes and borrowed hearts.

Hanzo nips again at his neck, then settles into Jesse’s embrace, yawns against his shoulder. Jesse noses at his hair, kisses his temple, rocks him gently until Hanzo’s heart stills, his breathing slows. Outside the falling sun dances low in the sky, painting the room enchanting colors; inside the dying fire sings the last notes of its quiet lullaby. Jesse adjusts his grip on Hanzo, stands up carefully so as not to wake him and carries him to the bedroom, lays him on the bed. He goes back to tie the final knot on the sigil, then to the bedroom again with the pillow in hand. He places it beside Hanzo’s head, strips down before he joins him beneath the sheets.

Jesse often lingers, like raindrops on spring roses, fearful of cold nights that might take him away. He is not a proud man, or overly wise; he has not formal education or any glittering riches. But what he does have is a heart from the muddy depths of a lake – that, he thinks, is one hell of a charm.

**Author's Note:**

> written for a short sentence prompt "my heart beats for you"! 
> 
> visit me on tumblr! http://keepmeaftermidnight.tumblr.com/


End file.
